The latest news stories of interest in the Rogue Valley and around the state of Oregon from the digital home of Southern Oregon, Wynne Broadcasting’s RogueValleyMagazine.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Today– Patchy fog between 9am and noon. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday– Areas of fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday– Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday– Partly sunny, with a high near 73.
Sunday– A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.
Crash Kills Motorcyclist on Wagner Creek Road 90-degree Blind Corner
JCSO Case 22-1485
TALENT, Ore. – A motorcyclist has died after crashing into a passenger vehicle on the 90-degree blind corner near the 6000 block of Wagner Creek Road in Talent. At 5:10 pm Ashland Fire and Rescue responded to the scene with Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) and Talent Police Department and began rendering aid. The motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Next of kin has been notified, the motorcyclist was Matthew James Roberts, 29, of Ashland.
Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) team and JCSO Medical Examiner detectives responded to investigate the accident. Preliminary investigations indicate the 1996 Harley Davidson motorcycle was traveling northbound on Wagner Creek Road when it left the lane of travel for unknown reasons and crashed into the front of the 2020 Volvo passenger vehicle. The driver of the Volvo was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is ongoing, awaiting findings from the STAR team and a toxicology report. STAR team consists of investigators from JCSO and Medford Police Department. Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Medford Homicide Investigation
Update– Homicide victim identified (next of kin has been notified) Case: 22-4785 Victim- Brittany L. Lovrovich (31 yoa)
On 03/22/22, at approximately 1:47 a.m., Medford Police officers were dispatched to a reported stabbing outside Rumors Lounge on N. Riverside Avenue. Upon arrival, patrol officers found an unresponsive female victim suffering from an apparent stab wound. The Medford Fire Department and Mercy Flights Ambulance responded to render medical aid; however, life-saving efforts were unsuccessful. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim is not being identified at this time, pending next of kin notification.
Medford Police Department Detectives and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Detectives are actively investigating the case at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Medford Police Detective Brandon Amaya at 541-774-2297. Medford Police Dept.
Horse Logging to Reduce Fire Risk in Grants Pass
The Cathedral Hills Espey trailhead in Grants Pass is a popular spot to hike, bike, and go horseback riding. Lately, it’s been a hazardous area because of the dead trees surrounding the trailhead. The Bureau of Land Management is using horse logging as a more sustainable and enjoyable way for the trail.
Clearing these dead trees will help prevent future wildfires. Douglas firs and pine trees have been hit the worst by drought and insects that kill native trees. Using horses to haul the tree logs out cuts down on fuel they would have to use for heavy machinery.
Today, community members who were hitting the trails were pleased to see horses instead of machines. They said it’s a lighter way to get the dead and dying trees out of the trials and much quieter. The BLM will continue doing this work for the rest of the week. They’ll move towards a different area in Cathedral Hills where more tree clearing will take place.
Oregon reports 269 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 8 new deaths
PORTLAND, Ore. — There are eight new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 6,983, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA reported 269 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 701,992.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (5), Clackamas (18), Clatsop (2), Columbia (2), Coos (2), Curry (2), Deschutes (13), Douglas (7), Grant (5), Hood River (3), Jackson (19), Jefferson (1), Josephine (10), Klamath (6), Lake (1), Lane (42), Lincoln (1), Linn (7), Malheur (1), Marion (15), Multnomah (55), Polk (8), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (5), Union (1), Wasco (3), Washington (26) and Yamhill (8).
The omicron subvariant fueling COVID-19 surges in Europe has been found in the wastewater of at least four Oregon communities, according to Oregon State University analyses of wastewater collected as part of a statewide early warning system.
The findings from early March don’t guarantee a surge in cases, but they could underscore the potential benefits — and shortcomings — of a state-funded wastewater testing system billed as a way to reliably know the state of the pandemic in various corners of Oregon.
Oregon health officials hired Oregon State University to analyze wastewater samples from more than 40 wastewater plants statewide, providing officials with measures of how much virus is in a community and the particular variants of the virus that are most common.
The method has taken off locally and nationwide, with federal health officials using wastewater analyses from across the country to track rising cases and an increase in the omicron subvariant BA.2. But one state official involved in the project indicated the full benefits of the program are yet to be seen.
“This is all very much emerging science,” said Dr. Melissa Sutton, the Oregon Health Authority’s medical director for respiratory viral diseases who is working with Oregon State University analysts.
The core theoretical benefit behind wastewater testing is that it can provide officials and the public advance notice of rising cases, faster than can be identified through traditional testing.
But it’s not yet clear exactly how much lead time the program will provide. While an OSU researcher said the university produces test results twice a week, state health officials post results to a public website once a week, and with a one-week delay.
And, speaking Tuesday, Sutton referenced data for samples taken during the week ending March 3. A spokesperson for her agency cited delays in “collating and providing” the data, adding that more recent results would be available Wednesday.
The nearly three-week old OSU results don’t show that the BA.2 variant, which is substantially more transmissible than the omicron variant, is prevalent in Oregon. But that could change, given that Oregon’s pandemic trends have generally lagged the rest of the country by several weeks, Sutton said.
More recent data available to OSU reflected the same trends, with BA.2 appearing in some Oregon communities but not yet becoming dominant, said Tyler Radniecki, one of the university’s key researchers for the program.
And, so far,the wastewater analyses have shown a consistent decline or plateau in “viral concentration,” a measure of how much virus is in a sample relative to the number of people who use the wastewater system. That means the analyses are mirroring the continued swift decline in case counts from testing.
Tuesday, the average case count fell to 233 new reported cases a day, lower than at any point since July, before the delta wave.
If there is going to be a surge, wastewater testing should, in theory, show the upward trend before official case counts start to climb. While research results vary, Sutton said, “viral concentration” in wastewater samples can start showing increases as many as seven days before official case counts start to rise.
Like much of the rest of the country, Oregon is wondering if the BA.2 subvariant of omicron will bring a flood of cases to the state.
“I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Sutton said, when asked if Oregonians should expect cases to climb in coming weeks.
But Sutton added that existing immunity among Oregonians due to vaccinations or from infections during the recent omicron surge likely means it won’t be as severe as what Oregon has already seen.
It’s clear that the BA.2 variant’s presence is growing nationally. More than a third of last week’s COVID-19 cases in the U.S. were the BA.2 subvariant, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the region that includes Oregon, nearly four in 10 cases were likely of the BA.2 variant, according to the agency’s estimates.
Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.0% in February
Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.0% in February, from 4.2%, as revised, in January. Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped rapidly from its peak in April 2020 through late 2021, and is now at its lowest level since prior to the pandemic-induced recession in March 2020 when it was 3.5%. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8% in February and 4.0% in January.
In February, 59,000 Oregonians had been unemployed for less than six months, which was near the lowest number in two decades. Meanwhile, 24,000 Oregonians had been unemployed for more than six months, as the number of long-term unemployed decreased rapidly since hitting a recent peak of 65,000 in April 2021.
In February, Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment rose by 12,300 jobs, following a revised gain of 5,100 jobs in January. This was the largest monthly gain since July 2021 when 34,800 jobs were added.
In February, gains were largest in leisure and hospitality (+3,500 jobs), construction (+2,300), health care and social assistance (+1,600), and professional and business services (+1,200). Eight other industries each added between 200 and 900 jobs. None of the major industries had a substantial job loss in February.
Leisure and hospitality rapidly added jobs all of this year and last year. It added 51,700 jobs, or 34.4%, since February 2021. Despite these gains, leisure and hospitality still accounts for a large share of the jobs Oregon has not recovered since early 2020, with 14,600 jobs left to recover to reach the prior peak month of February 2020. The industry has regained 87% of jobs lost early in the pandemic.
Construction reached another record high of 116,100 jobs in February. Mild weather in mid-February allowed roofers and other contractors to get jobs done that may have been postponed in more inclement winters.
Professional and technical services employed 106,000 in February and continued its rapid expansion. It added 4,700 jobs, or 4.6%, since its pre-recession peak in February 2020.
Next Press Releases– The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the February county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, March 29, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for March on Wednesday, April 13.
Notes: All numbers in the above narrative are seasonally adjusted.
The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources.
The PDF version of the news release can be found at QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit QualityInfo.org, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release.
To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit Oregon.gov/employ.
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are: Sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
Increased Emergency SNAP Benefits Continue in April
- Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will continue to receive temporarily increased emergency food benefits in April
- Approximately 399,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $65 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits
- Find resources to meet your basic needs: Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
- Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center
Most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive emergency allotments in April.
The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April, approximately 399,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $65 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.
“We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” said Claire Seguin, deputy director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Self-Sufficiency Programs. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211 and the Oregon Food Bank for support during this difficult time.”
Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on April 12. Emergency allotments will be issued April 29 or May 3 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.
SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards.
More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/Emergency-Allotments.aspx.
Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075.
If your household receives SNAP and your income or the number of people in your household has changed, it could impact your benefits. It is important to make sure ODHS has the most up-to-date information.
You can report any changes to your income or household in many ways:
- Online at: ONE.Oregon.gov
- By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
- By fax at: 503-378-5628
- By phone at: 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711
Resources to help meet basic needs
- Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
- Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
- Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
- Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/
- Oregon Department of Human Services COVID-19 help center
Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at https://govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-benefits. For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.
Cottage Grove Named Oregon Tree City of the Year for 2022
Oregon’s Tree City of the Year for 2022 is Cottage Grove. This town of about 10,800 people in southern Lane County was selected for the honor by the board of the non-profit Oregon Community Trees and staff with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program.
Mayor Jeff Gowing will acknowledge the honor as part of Oregon Arbor Month during a community tree-giveaway in Cottage Grove on Saturday, April 2.
Kristin Ramstad, Manager of ODF’s Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program, said the award is given to one Oregon city each year that has shown leadership in the continued development of urban forestry management for the benefit of residents.
“Cottage Grove earned this award because, in the 28 years that it has been recognized nationally as a Tree City USA, it has demonstrated a desire to grow a healthy urban forest, improving the livability and quality of life for its citizens and future generations,” said Ramstad.
Oregon Community Trees President Mike Oxendine said the award “Recognizes the efforts Cottage Grove is making to reach their larger goal, which is to maintain, preserve and improve their urban forest.”
Cottage Grove City Planner Eric Mongan puts it this way, “Being recognized as a Tree City USA community has changed our way of thinking about our urban forest. From adopting an approved street tree list to holding annual Arbor Day celebrations, having Tree City USA status has raised local awareness of proper care and management practices of public and private trees. Our Urban Forestry Committee, City staff, and residents can now also take pride in earning Tree City of the Year.”
Cottage Grove has received five Tree City USA Growth Awards since 2015. The Arbor Day Foundation presents Growth Awards annually to Tree City USA communities demonstrating higher levels of tree care and community engagement. Examples of the City’s Growth Award accomplishments are:
- creation of a special fund to buy trees, support new tree maintenance and fund community education and Arbor Day activities;
- acquiring 4.87 acres of streamside land for parks and open space
- completing a tree canopy survey using i-Tree Canopy
- recycling and reusing woody debris from branch and leaf pickup programs and tree maintenance operations
- adding two new urban forest committee members.
Chris Senters, the City’s arborist, is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. He provides his technical expertise and guidance to City staff and the Urban Forestry Committee and leads a City tree pruning/removal crew. The City is also exploring other ways to use his knowledge and skills to benefit the community.
The City’s Urban Forestry Committee was created in 1994 to assist the City Council with tree-related policies. Committee Chair Reilly Newman describes its mission as “To grow awareness of what trees do for our community and to build a lasting tree legacy for future generations.”
Committee members are also:
- studying a legacy or heritage tree program
- revising their approved street tree list
- planning later this summer to begin developing the City’s first inventory-based urban forest management plan Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Three Rivers Foundation Awards $1.4 Million To Oregon Charities
The Three Rivers Foundation, a charitable group associated with the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, Tuesday announced it has awarded $1.4 million in grants to 100 organizations in five Oregon counties.
The Tribal confederation operates the Three Rivers Casino Resort in Florence, Oregon.
“These grants trickle down and make a positive impact on communities in Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane and Lincoln counties,” says Tribe Council member and Three Rivers Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Doug Barrett in a statement. “It has been great to work with our board to give away this money to so many great organizations and Tribes that help so many families and individuals.”
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley, Oregon, stayed open to serve kids during the pandemic and was awarded $25,000.
“Three Rivers Foundation understands the urgent need to help ignite the imagination and interest of kids, especially traditionally underrepresented groups like girls and young people of color, to the possibility that STEAM learning can provide for enhancing their fundamental skills at school,” said Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley CEO Matt Sorenson in a statement. “With this grant money, our organization can expand these programs and serve even more kids.”
Among the grant awardees are healthcare organizations working on the front lines during the pandemic.
“When we informed them of the ongoing need to test our staff for exposure to COVID-19 to best protect the terminally ill in our care and our staff, they came to our aid,” said South Coast Hospice & Palliative Care Services volunteer manager Doreen Kelly in a statement. “We are extremely grateful to the Three Rivers Foundation for their generous support.”
The Three Rivers Foundation supports innovative ideas, collaborative approaches and grassroots efforts in education, health, public safety, problem gambling, the arts, environment, cultural activities, and historic preservation. Since its inception in 2012, the foundation has given out $2.7 million in grants. https://trcommunityfoundation.org/
Public Opinion Poll Looks At Oregonians’ Perspectives On Issues
A public opinion poll is looking at Oregonians’ perspectives about health for three different topics: racial equity, COVID-19 and America’s politics. The results vary.
Portland-based Oregon Values and Beliefs Center (OVBC) says today it conducted the research as a community service. OVBC describes itself as an independent and non-partisan organization and an Oregon charitable nonprofit corporation.
The survey shows 59% of Oregonians support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as 33% oppose it.
In response to another question about the social impact of the Black Lives Matter movement making the nation’s racial culture better or worse in response to the murder of George Floyd, Oregonians are almost evenly split.
Regarding COVID-19, the public opinion pollster says Oregon’s biggest concern about COVID-19 effects on hospitals
and schools involves hospital staffing. It says 81% of Oregonians feel very (50%) or somewhat (31%) concerned about hospitals lacking staff to treat and oversee patients.
It says Oregonians worries are down slightly from October 2021, when 86% of Oregonians were concerned about this potential problem. Finally, OVBC found 48% of Oregonians feel K-12 schools are doing a good job keeping students safe and minimizing the spread of COVID-19, 21% think they are not doing a good job, and 30% do not know. https://oregonvbc.org/
Police Ask for Public’s Help in Search For Victim’s Roommate In Albany Homicide – A 42-year-old woman, the roommate of a 75-year-old man whose death was ruled a homicide, is wanted for questioning in the case, Albany police officials said.
Elvin “Al” Pierce was found dead by officers around 9:10 p.m. Friday after a 911 caller reported a man was unconscious and not breathing. Investigators at that time said the circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious.
APD said Pierce’s roommate, 42-year-old Elizabeth Nicole Tyler Jimenez, wasn’t there at the home when officers found Pierce dead and they don’t know where she is. Authorities did not specifically state whether Jimenez is a suspect or if there are any charges against her.
Pierce’s car, a tan 2004 Buick Park Avenue with Oregon license plate 081FAX, is also missing.
Jimenez, who investigators believe is currently without a job, is described as often visiting local soup kitchens. She also has skills as a masseuse and a seamstress, officials said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact APD at 541-917-7680 or APD Lt. Buck Pearce at 541-917-3209.
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/